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The Taj Mahal has been shortlisted as one of the seven
wonders of the modern world, according to a poll.
The other 20 entries include Britain's Stonehenge, the
Great Wall of China, the Colosseum in Rome and Eiffel
Tower in Paris.
The Kremlin, Machu Picchu in Peru, the Sydney Opera
House and New York's Statue of Liberty were also among
the finalists.
The poll was launched in 2000 by the New 7 Wonders Society,
a Swiss group which aims to alert the world to the destruction
of man-made heritage. Voting will continue throughout
the year to select the seven wonders, which will be
announced on New Year's Day in 2007.
The rules are strict, with all nominations having to
be man-made and completed by 2000. They must also be
in an ''acceptable'' state of preservation, which excludes
all ruins.
The list of seven wonders of the ancient world was drawn
up by Philon of Byzantium in the second century BC.
His choices were essentially a travel guide for fellow
Athenians and were all located around the accessible
Mediterranean basin.
Only the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt is still standing
and that makes it on to the new short-list along with
another magnificent pyramid at Chichen Itza in Mexico.
The other six ancient wonders were the Hanging Gardens
of Babylon, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Temple
of Artemis at Ephesus, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus,
the Colossus of Rhodes and the Lighthouse of Alexandria.
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